Improvement in straw-cutters



' T. n. ANDERSON.

Straw-*utters.

No. 145,476. Patentedpec.16,1873.

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THOMAS'D. ANDERSON, OF BARDSTOWN, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- THIRD HIS RIGHT TO ENOOH E. MCKAY, OF SAME IJLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN STRAW-CUTTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,476, dated December 16,1873; application ilc June 28, 1873. f

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS D. ANDER- SON, of Bardstown, in the county of Nelson and State of Kentucky, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Straw-Cutters, of which the following is a specification:

The first part of this my invention consists, more' especially, in the use of a solid plate balance-wheel, and the peculiar form in which the knives are made, and the manner in which they are secured to the shaft or wheel, so as to give them a sliding motion on the straw in cutting. The end of the box against which the knives work is faced with a metal plate of suitable size and form to correspond with the opening in the box. This plate is also provided with a thin blade made of metal, and secured, by one end, to the face, on a level with the lower inside edge, in such a manner as to leave only room enough for the knives to pass through, the object of this blade being to support the ends of the straw in cutting. The box part or frame of the machine is made of wood, and in form similar to those now in use, except the front end, which is made to correspond with the size of the wheel, with the lower part extending down so as to form the legs, as shown in the drawing. The second part of this my invention consists in the manner of transmitting motion, and the peculiar arrangement of the several devices for operatiugthe feeding-rake in the box, which is done by means of a small pinion on the end of the balance-wheel shaft, which extends along the side of the box, and gears into a similar pinion on the end of a shaft under the feeding-frame. This feedingframe is made of iron, in the form of a stirrup, the legs of which are pivoted to the sides of the box near the center, and operated by cams on the shaft under it by working against the ends, which are again replaced by means of springs. The feeding-rake is also hinged to the top part of this frame, and is madeV suficiently long to reach the straw when standing at an angle of about forty-five degrees. The object of this my invention is to provide a neat, durable, and economical strawcutter, that is easily operated, and not liable to get out of order; all of which I claim to have accomplished by my invention, by means of the peculiar construction of the knives, and the blade secured to the front of the boxplate, which renders it unnecessary' for the knives to work hard aga-inst the box-plate, and thereby injure the edges, which is frequently the case with machines now in use, all of which require more or less repairing and sharpening of the knives; but, with the use of my invention, the straw will be cut off smooth without bending it, and of even length, Jthe plate of the balance-wheel answering as a gage therefor.

Figure l is a perspective view of the machine with a part of the wheel left out in order to show the interior arrangement of the knives and plate on the end of the box. Fig. 2 is a view of the feeding-frame, showing the shaft and cams by which it is operated.

In the drawing, A is the straw-box. B B are the parts forming the legs, all of which are made of wood, and in form as shown in the drawing. O is the balance-wheel, which is made of metal, plain on the outside, but hollow on the back. This wheel is hung on a small shaft extending along the side of the box, and is provided with a handle to operate it. D D are the knives, being two in number, all of which are cut from a plate of steel, so as to form a solid piece at the center, and in form they are made as shown in the drawing, and secured to the shaft between the collar and hub ofthe wheel, where they are held firmly by means of a screw-nut on the end of the shaft, forcing the wheel up against them. E is the metal plate on the end of the box. F is the blade for supporting the ends of the straw. G is the shaft of the balance-wheel.

H H are the pinions for operating the feeding-frame. I is the cross-shaft under the box.I J J are the cams for operating the.

feeding-frame K. L L are springs, by which the frame is replaced after being moved by the cams. M is the feeding-rake, which may consisting of `the frame K, with its springs L and rake M, also, the shaft G, cams J J, pinions H H, and box A, When arranged, oonstructed, and operated substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set fort-h.

THOMAS D. ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

NVILL. B. Boms, JAS. O. GRIFFIN. 

